Context:

Recently, the 24th summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was held in Astana under the presidency of Kazakhstan.

Key Highlight of the summit

• The members adopted the Astana Declaration and approved 25 strategic documents emphasising energy, security, trade, finance, and information security.
• SCO member states endorsed the Initiative ‘On World Unity for a Just Peace, Harmony and Development’ initially proposed by Kazakhstan.
• Members of the SCO also adopted the SCO Development Strategy until 2035, outlining collective contributions in light of Belarus joining the SCO as the 10th member.
• Other important Key resolutions included the cooperation programs to combat terrorism, separatism, and extremism for 2025-2027, the Anti-Drug Strategy for 2024-2029, and its corresponding Action Program.
• The Economic Development Strategy’s Action Plan until 2030 was also approved.
• China will assume the SCO Chairmanship (Presidency) for the next term, and Qingdao will be appointed the SCO’s tourism and cultural capital for 2024-2025.
• Kazakhstan took over the SCO Chairmanship from India, which held the Chairmanship last year.

About Astana Declaration

• According to the Astana Declaration, member states emphasised the SCO’s role in bolstering global peace, security, and stability. 
• They highlighted the organisation's contribution to shaping a new democratic, equitable international political and economic order. 
• The declaration also invited the global community to join this initiative.

About Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

• It was established in Shanghai on June 15, 2001, by six founding nations: Kazakhstan, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. 
• The SCO now has ten members, including India (2017), Iran (2023), Pakistan (2017), and Belarus (2024), in addition to the founding members. 
• SCO Encompasses 40% of the World’s population, and member countries contribute approximately over $23 trillion to global GDP.
• SCO has two Permanent Bodies – 

1. SCO Secretariat in Beijing 
2. Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in Tashkent. 

• The Chairmanship of SCO is by rotation for a year within the Member States.
• The official languages of the SCO are Russian and Chinese.